Letters To The Editor

Try buying them off the way we do in our dealings with Israel and the Palestinians.

Daily Press reported that the Wye River agreement included $900 million for the Palestinians, $1.2 billion for Israel and $300 million to Jordan.

That surplus the president always talks about is going for what they call diplomacy.

Lately we seem ready to fight provided we can do it at long range, and at an enemy that can't or won't shoot back. In a recent Senate hearing, Sen. John McCain of Arizona asked what we would do if our personnel should be captured or killed. No answer from anyone.

What does happen if the price goes up? How much and how far? How high are we prepared to go?

Earl E. Allen

Hampton

Perils of lying

The Democratic legislators in lock step with the president are saying today, it's OK for someone to lie to a grand jury if it's only about sex.

I think they will be hard pressed to explain how it's OK for the president to lie to the grand jury and convince this voter that they are not lying about their election year promises.

The question becomes what is it OK to lie to the voters about when you want their vote?

Ed Fly

Hampton

Save the $200,000

After watching the Jan. 27 Hampton City Council meeting I must commend Tom Gear for speaking out against a convention center in Hampton. He is one of a few on council who have the best interest of the people in this city. It seems most of the others don't care.

I agree with Gear, we don't need to spend $200,000 for a study to find out if we need a convention center.

Phil Routten

Hampton

Blind spot

The Rev. Randolph Becker's Jan. 30 guest column was the height of arrogance. While pretending to profess the inability of political and religious leaders to lead, Becker makes clear that he does know the right way.

Becker has the same blind spot as most liberals when discussing "their" president - he will not accept that this man is a Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde, so he must find someone else to blame. Never mind that a majority of "the common people" knows right from wrong.

Perhaps Becker would be more comfortable with ancient Rome's decision-making process: thumbs up or thumbs down, Christians vs. the lions. Let the people decide.

For a religious leader to disavow the role of leadership is odd. Using his criteria, slavery would still be in existence, prayer would be back in public schools, abortion might again be illegal, and the Iran-Contra Inquisition would never have happened.

We elect people to lead. Becker has succumbed to Clinton-era poll taking. His is no way to determine the right solution to our many problems. Lead, follow or get out of the way.

John J. Procyson

Newport News

Domestic abuse

Reference "Abuse and the court system," Jan. 18.

The jury acquitted the abuser based on the victim's conflicting statements and behaviors.

The state of being the victim is not uncommon in abuse victims.

I am a victim of years of domestic violence.

One month after I told my husband to leave, he entered the house and beat me up. After that incident, I continued to have contact with him. I accepted his phone calls from jail even though I took out a protection order.

Sixteen days after he was arrested, I dropped charges against him. I even met with him.

I frustrated family, friends, legal counsel and the judge presiding over the case with contrary words and actions. How can anyone, recently traumatized and emotionally distraught, be expected to make sound, rational decisions?

Domestic abuse does not begin with the act that leads one to contact the authorities. It begins slowly and subtly, usually with emotional abuse and belittlement.

By the time the victim calls the authorities she is, at best, a mere shadow of herself. By calling the authorities she has just begun the process of believing she deserves better, believing she is a separate person no matter how much she fears for her safety.

A victim of domestic abuse lives in fear of her abuser and yet has become extremely dependent on him. This contradiction is what motivates the conflicting behaviors of a victim. The courts and the public need a better understanding of domestic abuse and a person's difficulty to act rationally.